The Word on AC

“This [165]-year old community of learning, with its 1,350 students, will excite you, stretch you, expand your world, and make you believe in yourself. This college does marvelous things to multiply talents and to develop character

… Austin (College)—and colleges like it—has a special magic the prestige ones don’t. You will find the work is harder than at the Ivies, and so is the grading. More is expected of you; you can’t hire somebody to take notes for you. Austin (College) will do more to give you a successful and satisfactory life.

…At Austin (College) you will have great teachers; they will want to stretch you, and they will want to be your friends.

…You will be actively involved in your own education, which is the only way, no ifs, ands or buts.

…What kind of person would be happy here? Any student planning to go to a mainstream college would find happiness here, whether from the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, or far West. This was as friendly, open, and accepting a community as I’ve seen anywhere, and far more so than most.

…For many years I had been aware that Austin College was a first-rate school, but until I spent a day there, I hadn’t been able to know how very special a community it was. It is one of those that is doing the essential work of producing the enlightened, responsible, creative people with moral compasses who make democracy work. We need many more colleges like it.”

“Anyone feeling disheartened by the state of the world, anyone wondering how we’re going to yank our collective bootstraps and solve this century’s most pervasive problems, should visit Austin College in northern Texas for a hefty dose of hope. There’s plenty of optimism here, and rightly so. The curriculum pairs in-depth study of liberal arts and sciences … with a focus on international study that’s hard to find anywhere else. The result is a group of 1,350 students who are thinking carefully about what they can do right now and for the rest of their lives to make the world a better place. And they’re thrilled.”

The Princeton Review’s Guide to 361 Green Colleges: 2016 Edition included Austin College in the guidebook saluting the most environmentally responsible “green colleges” in the U.S. and Canada. More than 25 data points were examined in the assessments. “When it comes to going green, Austin College is making some impressive strides,” the guidebook says in its description of green highlights. The entry includes the College’s commitment to 100 percent wind-generated commercial electricity, participation in the President’s Climate Commitment, a number of student-initiated campus greening proposals, and the student referendum to institute a student greening fee.

Six Austin College faculty members are included in The Princeton Review’s new guidebook, The Best 300 Professors, released in April 2012 by Random House/Princeton Review Books. Only eight colleges across the country, all with a larger student body than Austin College, have more faculty on the list. Only 10 professors, including the six at Austin College, teaching at Texas colleges and universities are included in the guidebook.

Money included Austin College in its 2017-2018 list of Best Colleges, in rankings “that combine educational quality, affordability, and alumni success.”

“Texas is a large state with numerous higher education institutions. You have your choice of public or private schools, along with schools that focus on research or are grounded in the liberal arts. Each of these schools offers students something unique. … These schools rise to the top of over 60 four-year institutions in the state. … The private liberal arts school of Austin College is another one of the best schools within the state. The school focuses on providing a sound education while also supporting a diverse student population and contributing to the local community. Austin College is an exceptional value for your money because it offers a collaborative and interactive education at an affordable price.”

“…There’s no mix-up as to why Austin College has become, in the minds of many, the best little liberal arts college in Texas.… In a state where bigger has traditionally meant better, Austin stands apart from the crowd.….A motivated student, willing to forgo memorization of facts in favor of higher order critical thinking skills, will find Austin College an A-1 choice. Those considering graduate school can raise the grade to A+.”
— Barron’s Best Buys in College Education, Tenth Edition

“…You don’t need to attend a fabled Ivy to get a big-league education. PARADE asked top high school counselors around the nation to recommend outstanding schools that often fly under the radar.”
Austin College is recognized for our top pre-medical programs.— PARADE’s College A-list, pre-medaaAustin College has been included in the Princeton Review’s “The Best 381 Colleges”2017 edition. “Outstanding academics are the chief reason we chose schools for this book and we strongly recommend the schools to applicants,” the author wrote. “’Individual attention’ is the name of the game at Austin College. Indeed, the small size of the schools allows for a lot of ‘one-on-one interaction’ and provides students with ‘many opportunities to get involved on campus.’”The College also is included in the “2017 Best Colleges: Region by Region”in the West Region, schools that are “academically outstanding and well worth consideration in the college search,” and as a Green College, for commitment to sustainability and the environment.

Open Doors 2016, Top 40 Baccalaureate College, released November 2016.

Since 2000, Austin College consistently has been ranked among the top colleges in the nation for international study, with five #1 rankings, by the Institute of International Education (IIE) for percentage of undergraduate participation among baccalaureate institutions. Two-thirds of graduates of the last decade have had at least one international study experience during their Austin College education.

According to the Global Language Monitor’s TrendTopper MediaBuzz College and University Rankings, Austin College is the top college in Texas, in terms of media and internet “buzz.” The Global Language Monitor ranks the nation’s Top 200 colleges and universities according to media awareness, and the appearance of the College in global print and electronic media and on the Internet, including social media such as Twitter.Austin College has been named a “Best Buy” in Fiske Guide to Colleges 2017. Fiske Guide to Colleges editors choose a select group of schools noted for quality academic offerings and affordable cost.“AC’s pre-professional programs, most notably premed, are among the strongest in the state,” the editor writes. “Professors here even serve students breakfast at 10 p.m. the night before finals. It’s just another example of the personal style that is typical of this charming Southern institution. “You feel comfortable and safe at Austin College,’ says a sophomore. ‘It becomes your second home.’”

Austin College has been named a 2016 Best College Value in private liberal arts colleges by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. The rankings highlight colleges that combine outstanding academics with affordable cost.

Austin College is included in Washington Monthly’s 2015 college rankings issue in “America’s Best Bang for the Buck Colleges – South, based on data such as student loan default rate, graduate rate, percentage of students receiving Pell Grants, and net price.

Forbes Best Value Colleges 2017: 300 Schools Worth The InvestmentThe FORBES 2017 Best Value College ranking includes schools that deliver the best bang for the tuition buck based on tuition costs, school quality, post-grad earnings, student debt, and graduation success.

“AC offers study abroad in 58 countries, internships during the January and summer terms, and fall, spring, and summer internships in Washington, D.C. Work-study, accelerated degree programs in all majors, and dual and student-designed majors are available. There is a 3-2 engineering degree program in conjunction with the University of Texas at Dallas and Washington University in St. Louis, as well as cooperative agreements with Columbia University and Texas A&M University. There are 14 national honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa.”
— Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges, 2015

Austin College is ranked among the Best National Liberal Arts Colleges in America’s Best Colleges 2016.
— U.S. News & World Report 2016 Best Colleges